October 23: A Weather Report or, What they think is cold
Here’s another Belize weather report for you:
GENERAL SITUATION: COLD FRONT AFFECTING THE COUNTRY!
TEMPERATURES: HIGHS(TODAY) COASTAL 30C/86F INLAND 30C/86F
LOWS(TONIGHT) COASTAL 20C/68 INLAND 16C/61F
And that’s what Belize thinks is cold!
October 23: Minimum Wage
I know it’s foolish to comment on politics or the economy
in a foreign country without a whole lot more exposure than
I’ve had, so I won’t. Just read this news story and keep in mind
they are talking Belize dollars which are $.50 US. That makes
the minimum wage 87½ cents. A cheap hotel room is still US
$25, and a bottle of local beer is US $1.50.
Women call for equal minimum wage
Women’s Issues Network of Belize has embarked on a campaign
to have a single minimum wage apply to all categories of jobs.
The network contends that currently, the minimum wage for
manual work is $2.25 per hour, but several categories of jobs
which are dominated my women, such as shop assistants and domestic
workers, have a minimum wage of $1.75 per hour.
“The minimum wage for everyone, and especially for domestic
workers and shop assistants, should be enough to meet a basic
minimum cost of living… there should be a single, adequate
minimum wage across all sectors.”
WIN further calls for minimum wages to be increased annually
to reflect increases in the cost of living, with an independent
monitoring body to ensure that the minimum wage is being implemented.
Pointing out that the unemployment for women is twice as high
as it is for men (women 21.3% men 10.6%), WIN said that it is
often easier for employers to take advantage of women, and thus,
it falls on the government to ensure that women are protected.
“The minimum wage should protect people from employers
who would exploit them,” WIN said. “It is supposed
to set a level below which people should not be expected to work.”
